Career Timeline of Aaron Judge: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Aaron Judge, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Aaron Judge is a prominent American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees. Renowned for his exceptional power and towering physique (6'7", 282 lbs), he holds the American League record for most home runs in a season with 62, surpassing Roger Maris's long-standing record. A six-time MLB All-Star and two-time American League MVP, Judge is a dominant force in baseball and a key player for the Yankees.
1921: Babe Ruth's 55+ Home Run and 15+ Stolen Bases Season
In 1921, Babe Ruth had a season with 55+ home runs and 15+ stolen bases, a feat later matched by Judge.
1997: Ken Griffey Jr.'s 55+ Home Run and 15+ Stolen Bases Season
In 1997, Ken Griffey Jr. had a season with 55+ home runs and 15+ stolen bases, a feat later matched by Judge.
1998: Sammy Sosa's 55+ Home Run and 15+ Stolen Bases Season
In 1998, Sammy Sosa had a season with 55+ home runs and 15+ stolen bases, a feat later matched by Judge.
2007: Alex Rodriguez's Home Run Streak
In 2007, Alex Rodriguez had a five-game home run streak for the Yankees, the longest by a Yankee player before Judge.
2010: Oakland Athletics Draft
In 2010, the Oakland Athletics selected Aaron Judge in the 31st round of the MLB draft, but he chose to attend Fresno State instead.
2011: Fresno State
In 2011, Aaron Judge was part of the Fresno State team that shared the Western Athletic Conference regular season title, won the WAC Tournament, and qualified for the 2011 NCAA Division I baseball tournament and was named a Freshman All-American.
July 2012: Joins Brewster Whitecaps
In July 2012, Aaron Judge played collegiate summer baseball for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
2013: Drafted by the Yankees
In 2013, Aaron Judge was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round as the 32nd overall pick, receiving a $1.8 million signing bonus, but was sidelined due to a quadriceps injury.
2014: Professional Debut
In 2014, Aaron Judge made his professional debut with the Charleston RiverDogs and was later promoted to the Tampa Yankees during the season.
2015: Promotion to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
In 2015, after a strong performance with the Trenton Thunder, Aaron Judge was promoted to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in June, and chosen to represent the Yankees at the 2015 All-Star Futures Game.
August 13, 2016: MLB Debut
On August 13, 2016, Aaron Judge made his MLB debut for the New York Yankees, hitting a home run in his first at-bat.
2016: Yankees Miss Playoffs
In 2016 the Yankees missed the playoffs, this did not happen again until 2023.
2016: International League All-Star Team
In 2016, Aaron Judge was named to the International League All-Star Team, however, he did not play in the game after spending a month on the disabled list due to a knee sprain.
2016: Jersey Number 99 Assigned
In 2016, Judge was given the uniform number 99 during spring training, a number typically assigned to young players not expected to make the final roster.
2017: Regular Season
Aaron Judge finishes the 2017 regular season slashing .284/.422/.627 with 154 hits, 52 home runs, 114 RBI, 127 walks, 11 intentional walks and nine stolen bases.
2017: ALDS Strikeouts
In 2017, Aaron Judge set an ALDS record striking out 16 times in the series.
2017: Home Run Derby Winner
In 2017, Aaron Judge won the Home Run Derby, becoming the first rookie to win the Derby outright and was touted as a potential "face of the game" by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
2018: All-Star Game
In 2018, Aaron Judge was named a starting outfielder for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, hitting a solo home run off Max Scherzer.
2019: Home Run Over Green Monster
In 2019, Aaron Judge hit a home run over Fenway Park's Green Monster for the first time, contributing to the Yankees setting a new franchise record for most team home runs in a single season.
November 23, 2021: All-MLB First Team Selection
On November 23, 2021, Judge was named to the First Team of the All-MLB Team as an outfielder, capping off a season where he also won a Fielding Bible Award and a Silver Slugger Award.
2021: All-Star Game and COVID-19 IL
In 2021, Judge was named the starting right fielder in the MLB All-Star Game and was later placed on the COVID-19 injured list after testing positive, eventually returning against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 27.
September 20, 2022: Judge Hits 60th Home Run
On September 20, 2022, Aaron Judge hit his 60th home run of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates, becoming the third MLB player in AL history to reach that milestone, 95 years after Babe Ruth.
December 2022: Pursuit During Free Agency
In December 2022, Judge was actively pursued during free agency by the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants, but ultimately signed with the Yankees.
December 20, 2022: Yankees Sign Judge to Record-Breaking Deal
On December 20, 2022, Judge and the Yankees agreed to a nine-year, $360 million deal, the largest free-agent contract in MLB history. Judge was also named the 16th captain of the Yankees the following day.
2022: Free Agency
After the 2022 season, Judge became a free agent and declined the Yankees' qualifying offer.
2022: Contract Negotiations
In 2022, Judge and the Yankees did not reach a long-term contract agreement, with the team offering a seven-year extension worth $213.5 million. Judge later signed a one-year, $19 million contract on June 24 to avoid arbitration.
2022: Strong Start to 2022 Season
In 2022, Judge had a strong start to the season, slashing .293/.361/.600 in April with six home runs.
2022: MLB Leader in Home Runs, Runs Scored, and RBI
In 2022, Judge led the major leagues with 62 home runs, 133 runs scored, and 131 RBI, also batting .311/.425/.686.
2022: All-Star Selection
In 2022, Judge was elected as a starter for the MLB All-Star Game, receiving the most fan votes in the American League, marking his second successive and fourth overall All-Star selection.
2022: Postseason Appearance and ALCS Loss
In 2022, the Yankees qualified for the postseason, defeating the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS but were swept by the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
May 2023: American League Player of the Month
In May 2023, Judge won the American League Player of the Month Award after hitting .342/.474/.882 with 12 home runs.
July 2023: AL Player of the Month Award
In July 2023, Judge claimed the AL Player of the Month Award after hitting .333/.436/.806 with 13 home runs.
September 2023: Third AL Player of the Month Award
In September 2023, Judge claimed his third AL Player of the Month Award, batting .417/.565/.869 for the month.
2023: Season Performance and Playoff Miss
Despite missing 56 games in 2023, Judge recorded 37 home runs and finished the season slashing .267/.406/.613. However, the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
2023: Multiple Home Run Games and Player of the Week Award
In 2023, Judge had multiple standout performances, including hitting three home runs against the Washington Nationals on August 23 and repeating the feat against the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 22. Judge won his second AL Player of the Week Award on September 24.
2023: Roberto Clemente Award and All-MLB Team Selection
In 2023, Judge was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award for his charity work and was selected to the All-MLB Team for the third successive year.
2023: Toe Injury at Dodger Stadium
In 2023, on June 3, Judge crashed through a gate at Dodger Stadium, spraining his toe and leading to him missing 42 games. Despite the injury, Judge was elected to the 2023 Major League Baseball All Star Game.
2023: First Game as Yankees Captain
On 2023 MLB Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, Judge made his first regular season appearance as the Yankees' captain and hit a home run in his first at-bat.
May 19, 2024: American League Player of the Week
For the week of May 19, 2024, Judge was selected as the American League Player of the Week after going 10-for-20 with three home runs and five doubles.
2024: Slow Start to 2024 Season
In 2024, Judge had a slow start to the regular season, hitting .180 through the first three weeks of April, but improved his performance by the end of the month.
2024: Continued Success in 2024
In 2024, Judge received his second AL Player of the Week award. He raised his batting average to over .300 and led the majors in home runs, runs batted in, and OPS by the end of June. Judge also won the AL Player of the Month Award for June.
2024: All-Star Game Selection
In 2024, Judge was announced as a starting outfielder for the American League in the MLB All-Star Game after receiving the most votes.
